Hidden Feelings, Forbidden Desires
by Elly3981
Summary: "My skin feels like it's burning...can you feel it? I think it's you that's making me feel this way... The fact that you're so near...your smell...it engulfs me..." Manga-based, Abel/Esther


**Disclaimer: I do not own Trinity Blood or any of its characters. I write this fic for your enjoyment only (and mine too^^) I hope you like it! It is an alternate fic to the other TB stories I've written so far and is not related to any of them. It is also manga-based, taking place after Seth saves Abel and company from Dietrich/Radu but before they part ways and return to the Vatican. I also must warn that this fic has some sexuality and that you do not read if you are offended by such material. The cover art is by La-Sera of DeviantArt so please drop by her page and leave her a review! That said, enjoy and please review! ;)**

**Hidden Feelings, Forbidden Desires**

"How are you feeling now, Esther?" Seth asked as she gently dabbed a most cloth over her friend's brow and side of her face.

"Mmm…" Esther answered sleepily as she slowly opened her eyes and found herself in a guest room at the methuselah royal palace with the child-like empress at her bedside. Out of her royal robes and clad in a simple nurse's dress, Seth had been watching over her as she slept throughout the night. It seemed that Dietrich's attack on her while possessing Radu's body had taken quite a toll on the young girl even though she had not been seriously injured. It was fortunate that Abel was able to distract the puppet-master long enough for Seth to come to their rescue so the older crusinik was the one who bore the brunt of the attacks. Still, it did not leave his young partner unaffected.

Upon seeing her friend open her eyes, Seth smiled. "Good morning, Esther…or should I say good evening? You've been out of it for quite some time, pretty much all day. Esther was surprised upon hearing this.

"Seth? What are you doing here? How long have I been out?"

"I would say about ten hours. You were out for so long, I was starting to worry. Are you feeling better now?"

Esther got up and put a hand to her head. She still had a slight headache but other then that, she was fine. Looking herself over, the red-head could find no trace of the injuries she had sustained from Dietrich which she thought was incredible.

"Yes, I'm feeling much better now. Have you been watching over me all this time?"

"Well, I couldn't just very well leave you in the condition you were in. You might not remember but as soon as you checked up on Astha, you collapsed from exhaustion and Abel carried you here."

"I see… I appreciate everything you've done for me, but you really didn't have to. I mean, I'm sure you have much bigger things to worry about like your royal duties." Even though she refrained from saying so, Esther was touched as well as honored that the empress herself would tend to her wounds and when a servant could have easily done the job instead. Seth seemed to have read her mind for she leaned over and placed a sisterly kiss on her friend's cheek.

"Its all right" she said "I wanted to. Mirka can cover for me a bit longer. Besides, isn't that what friends are for?"

Esther let out a soft laugh. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Thank you, Seth. For everything. How are the others holding up?"

"Astha and Ion are doing just fine. Abel, however…" the empress trailed off as if she hesitated to say what was on her mind. Her friend started to worry.

"Is Father all right?"

"He's fine" Seth insisted. "He's taken quite a beating from our friend, the puppet-master, but he will live. I've had my other servants tend to him while I was taking care of you. He's strong, Esther, so don't worry. I know it takes a lot more then that to kill him; I am his sister, after all. He's just weak now and needs rest but I'm sure he'll be up and about in another day or two. You do have to return the Vatican to report to your superiors, do you not?"

Esther nodded. "Yes. Lady Caterina and his Holiness await our return."

"Of course. But there is no need to hurry. What's important now is for both of you to get better."

"I know… but Father… he doesn't know it, but he infuriates me sometimes…

_Oh, tell me about it…_Seth thought but held her tongue. For as long as she could remember, her brother had always been the kind to look out for others more then himself, especially those dear to him. She hadn't known Esther very long but from what Abel told her, the young girl had been under his care and tutelage for almost a year since the destruction of her home in Istvan. It was quite obvious to everyone except the crusinik himself that she was more to him then just a pupil and Seth found it infuriating that he hasn't made a move towards the poor girl yet after all that time, probably because he still had the foolish notion that he didn't deserve to be happy and other feelings of unworthiness which she thought was absurd; while he may still have feelings for his first love, Seth had no doubt that he treasured Esther just as much if not more and decided that if her stubborn big brother wasn't going to move on his own then she was going to have to give him a little push…

"I think I can understand how you feel, Esther; he was like that when we were kids too, always more concerned for me or others even if he was the one who was hurt most; that's just like Abel. Say, why don't you pay him a visit, maybe bring him some food and a bit of wine? I don't recall seeing him eat today. I'll have the cooks prepare something and you can pick it up from the kitchen before seeing him. I'm sure he should be up by now and wanting to see you."

"Really? You think so?"

"Of course. Here, take this too." Pulling out a small vial from her pocket, the empress handed it to her red-headed friend.

"What is it?" Esther asked curiously.

"It's a new medicine I've made recently. It's meant to help you relax and sleep easier as well as speed up recovery of injuries. Take it, there's more then enough for both of you."

Esther found her nose wrinkling. For as long as she knew him, Abel hated taking medicine when he was ill, often complaining about the bitter taste and smell like a stubborn child. "Well, I appreciate the gesture, Seth but how am I going to get Father to take that? Back home, he wouldn't take anything when he was sick unless he was dying- and I mean literally."

To this, the mischievous little empress smiled wickedly. "I've already thought of that" she said with a wink "Its simple, really. Just put it in his drink. I made it flavorless and odorless so that he'll never notice, even with his crusinik senses. Trust me, Esther, he needs this as much as you do; the herbal mixture will no doubt loosen him up, make him a bit…easier to talk to as well."

"I see…well, if you say so then I'll trust you on it. When should I go?"

"As soon as you can. I've brought a new dress for you to wear and you can go to the kitchen as soon as you're done getting changed. I'll have the chefs prepare a meal and it should be ready by the time you get there. The wine too. Make sure you put the medicine in the bottle before coming to my brother; use every last drop, understand?"

Curious, Esther was about to open her mouth to question her friend further but then thought better of it. Seth had already taken so much time and trouble to care for her as well as prepare this vial of medicine so she didn't want to come off as rude, ungrateful, or untrusting.

"Okay…if you say so, Seth. I'll be sure to do that."

"Good. Well, its been fun but I have some things I must attend to so I must take my leave of you. Have fun and let me know how it goes with you and big brother, okay?"

"Of course. Thank you, Seth. And have a good evening."

"You too…"

**SSSSSS**

As Esther made her way to Abel's guest chambers, she stopped for a moment to catch her breath. The tray of food and wine in her arms felt unusually heavy; in fact, so did her whole body. Normally, she would have had little trouble carrying food and drink to someone when called upon; she had done so numerous times for Lady Caterina back home when the older woman requested that Esther join her for lunch or dinner, but tonight it was a little difficult. Not because the contents of the tray in her arms were any heavier then back home but because she herself had not fully recovered from Dietrich's attack. However, the red-head was determined not to let that slow her down. Other AX and Inquisition agents have been injured far worse and were still able to return to active duty quickly so she should try to manage at least this much if she ever expected to be accepted as a full member of the AX someday.

But for now, that was the last thing on her mind. Her first priority right now was to see to the needs of her guardian and mentor. If Seth was correct, he should have recovered enough to eat something at least. Upon her arrival at the door that led to Abel's chamber, Esther set the try down on a stand outside and took the vial that the empress had given her out of her pocket. Opening it, she curiously sniffed the mysterious liquid and placed a drop on her tongue but did not detect anything unusual; it was as her friend had promised, tasteless and odorless. Even though she disliked the idea of deceiving Abel into taking his medicine, she knew it was necessary for his speedy recovery for he would never take it willingly on his own if he had any, or rather, no idea what it was. Opening the wine bottle, Esther paused for one more moment before thinking _Here goes_, and pouring the contents inside. After the vial was empty, she shook the bottle slightly to mix the medicine with the wine before finally putting it back on the tray and knocking on Abel's door.

"Father? Are you awake? Its me, Esther."

After waiting for a few moments without answer, Esther frowned in disappointment. Perhaps Seth was wrong and he was still asleep after all. If that was the case, there would be no point in staying any longer; Astha or Ion would be better company now then a comatose priest and she prepared to take her leave when she saw the door open and her guardian standing before her out of cassock and clad in a dark satin night robe, his long silver hair unbound and hanging freely down his back and shoulders.

He regarded her curiously. "Esther? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you still be in bed?" he asked. His pupil shook her head.

"I'm fine now. I've already been sleeping all day and I just wanted to check up on you and maybe bring you something to eat and drink if you're hungry."

At the mention of food, the crusinik felt like drooling. Like Esther, he too had been asleep all day and his stomach was growling. Good food and drink was one of his greatest weaknesses and he never turned down a free meal if he could help it.

"Why thank you, Esther, that's very thoughtful of you but I hate eating alone so why don't you join me?"

"Of course, Father. I brought you some wine too, courtesy of Her Majesty, the empress."

"I see. Remind me to thank Seth later. For now, why don't you come in and make yourself comfortable?"

Nodding, Esther quickly entered her guardian's chamber and Abel quietly closed the door behind her as she took the plates of food and bottle of wine from the tray and placed it on a table in the corner of the room. Looking around, she couldn't helped but be awed by the luxury of their surroundings, not that her own guest chambers wasn't as nice. Esther also noticed Abel's black overcoat hanging on a chair and his circular glasses lying on a night table next to his bed. The frame was twisted and the lenses broken from Dietrich's attack but the priest didn't seem to mind because he didn't really need them anyway.

After her eyes had taken their fill of her surroundings, she focused her attention on the object of her concern. "Seth told me that you would be hungry as soon as you woke up so she asked me to bring you some food and drink. I was worried for a moment that you might still be asleep but I'm glad you're awake after all or I would have come here for nothing."

"Well, I'm glad I'm awake too. I would hate for you to have wasted your time. And I notice that you brought my favorite dishes but what kind of drink is in that bottle?" he asked curiously.

For a moment, Esther hesitated to answer. She hated lying, especially to her guardian so she tried to stay as close to the truth as possible without mentioning the medicine she slipped into the bottle. "Its brandy" she answered "Seth told me it was your favorite drink and asked me to bring it to you. I know we're not supposed to indulge in such things but it shouldn't hurt every once in a while. Especially for you since you work so hard for Lady Caterina and His Holiness."

"I see… perhaps you're right. It shouldn't hurt to indulge once in a while, even for us. Come, lets eat; I'm sure you must be famished as well."

Esther fought the urge to let out a sigh of relief that Abel didn't press the issue further and sat down after setting the food on the table. The chefs had given her the food in larger bowls but did not provide her with glasses, smaller plates, and utensils for they were already in the cupboards of the guest chambers which was convenient. As soon as Abel set everything they needed on the table, they began to eat.

"So how are you feeling now, Father? Seth told me that you've taken quite a beating from Dietrich and Radu."

Abel smiled. It was true what his sister said but his crusinik powers had already healed any potential life-threatening injuries he sustained from the puppet master even if he had not yet fully recovered. At the rate he was healing, he should be back to normal in another day or two.

"I'm fine, thank you. My most serious injuries have already healed and I just need a little more time before I'm well enough to go home with you so don't worry."

"I see… I'm glad to hear that." Despite her genuine concern for her guardian, Esther couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. She really had come out of concern for his well-being but she also wanted take the opportunity to talk to him about her feelings. It was not the first time she had been wanting to do so but every time she tried, something always held her back and Esther wasn't sure what; she didn't know if Abel was truly ignorant of her feelings for him or if he was simply feigning indifference because he refused to see her as anything more then the child he rescued from rogue vampires in Istvan nearly a year ago.

Dinner went by with the two keeping the conversation light and pleasant to keep their minds off the hectic events of the past week. Abel knew that as soon as he returned, he had to write a report on their experiences in the empire to submit to his superior, Cardinal Sforza, a tedious task, but he didn't want to think about that right now. Instead, he preferred to focus his attention on his young partner and enjoy her company for the duration of their stay in the empire.

After they had finished their meal, Esther removed the lid from the wine bottle while trying not to let her hands shake or give any indication of now nervous she was.

"Would you like some wine, Father?" she asked. Fortunately for her, Abel didn't seem to suspect anything unusual.

"Yes, of course" he answered as he held out his glass for her to fill. His partner gladly did so as well as pour a glass for herself.

"I know I'm not quite old enough to drink yet but I trust you will keep this a secret from Lady Caterina since I'm sure she will not approve."

Abel laughed. "Not to worry, Esther. I wouldn't want her to know anymore then you do; I have no doubt she would give me quite a tongue-lashing if she ever found out."

Esther smiled as she raised her glass to his. "Good… well, here's to our mission's success and may we have many more."

"Yes…here's to our success" Abel agreed as he touched his glass to hers before placing it to his lips and letting the sweet nectar down his throat as Esther watched while sipping her own glass. As Seth had predicted, Abel had not noticed anything different or unusual about the wine and took it down without hesitation. Esther, on the other hand, took a bit longer because she wasn't used to alcohol, preferring to take little sips until her glass was empty. The liquid was sweet and slightly spicy, soothing its way down her throat and belly, leaving her with an instantaneous feeling of calm and relaxation.

As soon as they finished their drinks, Esther started to get up so that she could begin cleaning the table but as soon as she tried to stand, she felt her knees give out from under her. Alarmed, Abel rushed over to her side, his brow furrowing in concern.

"Esther, what's wrong?" he asked gently "Are you still not feeling well?" He regretted the question as soon as it left his mouth. Of course she still wasn't feeling well! She had just been through the same ordeal as him, the only difference being that she didn't have his crusinik regenerative abilities so it should come as no surprise that she was still weak and tired but too proud to admit it. Not giving her any chance to protest or resist, Abel quickly picked Esther up in his arms and carried her to his bed.

"Mmm… no, Father, please don't…"

"Shhh…" he cooed "None of that now, Esther. You obviously still need rest. Its all right, you don't have to return to your room tonight if you don't feel up to it; you can stay here with me if you'd like. I can sleep on the floor while you take the bed."

Esther didn't know why, but she started to feel a little irritated. The man was indeed infuriating because she was having such difficulty getting through to him when it came to her feelings.

"Father, how can you be…so…?" Before she could finish her question, she slumped forward into his chest, her eyes fluttering shut.

Abel was started at the sudden unfinished question and started to worry until he leaned forward slightly and found that Esther's breathing was slow and even. _She's_ _asleep_ he thought as he gazed down at her peacefully sleeping face. In sleep, she was quite angelic and serene with her long eyelashes casting tiny shadows on her cheeks, her nose dainty, and her lips full and inviting. They parted slightly before whispering his name and something indistinct that he couldn't quite make out. Perhaps she was still just very tired after all and needed more time to rest. He, on the other hand, was already feeling much better so it would be no trouble for him to stay up the rest of the night to watch over her if need be. After gently setting Esther down on his bed, Abel prepared to look for a chair so that he can sit next to her bedside when he felt a tug at his robe. Looking down, he found his young charge awake and staring at him with wide green eyes.

"Father…I feel so hot…so feverish…"

In response, Abel sat down and placed his palm to her forehead in concern. Her skin was hot to the touch and he realized for the first time that his own body also felt inflamed but that was not his main concern right now. Ignoring his own discomfort, he asked "What's wrong, Esther? Do you feel ill?"

"I'm not sure... I just feel so achy…"

"Achy?" he repeated, his eyebrows raising. "Perhaps you are getting sick. Wait here, I'll get you some tea and maybe ask the servants for some medicine too."

"Wait!" she protested as he began to stand "Don't leave me…I want… I want…"

"Esther?"

"Help me, Father…I…it hurts…"

"What hurts? Show me where."

She shook her head quickly. "I can't…I just feel so hot…do you feel it too, Father?"

Abel nodded slowly. Yes, he did felt hot, almost overwhelmingly so...but not the way she meant. His was not the heat of a fever, but the warm pulse of desire. It was snaking through his body, awakening feelings he had long tried to suppress.

Esther shifted slightly and the top of her maroon dress slid partially open, revealing a bit of cleavage and tantalizing portion of her smooth ivory skin.

He found his gaze lingering there as she continued to pull on his robe.

"Father?"

"Yes?"

"My skin feels like it's burning...can you feel it?"

"Yes..."

"I think it's you that's making me feel this way" she stated in a whisper.

Abel blinked. "Me?"

"The fact that you're so near...your smell...it engulfs me..."

"Esther…" Abel murmured, jerking slightly in surprise when she laid her palm flat against his chest.

"Father…I've been wanting to tell you about my feelings for so long…

She paused for a moment as if waiting for his answer. Abel hesitated, not sure of what to say. "Esther…" he began as he slowly searched his mind for the right words but she wouldn't let him finish.

"I've always wondered," she went on, running soothing fingertips over the scarred muscle "how you can be so cold and yet make me feel...so warm...it's like you scald me...with even the slightest touch..." She allowed her eyes to drift shut, running her palms over the hard muscles of his abdomen. "The other sisters have told me things…I have often thought about them...I have imagined how it would feel...to have you take me..."

Abel breathed hard through his nostrils, fighting the feelings both her words and light caresses were stirring within him. It was wrong. This was Esther, the child he had taken under his wing and had sworn to protect.

_Child? _He thought wryly, mouth twisting. There was nothing childish about the curves of her body or the desire in her eyes right now, the desire for him as a man, not the affections of a child for a parent as he had tried to delude himself into believing for so long. Despite what others thought, he had been aware of Esther's attraction to him but always brushed it off as nothing more then the hopeless adoration of a little girl, a childish infatuation brought on by his fine looks that she would eventually outgrow like all the others.

Apparently he was wrong.

As Abel held the lovely girl in his arms, he remembered how his fellow AX colleague, Leon Garcia, used to tease him about his affections for his star pupil, often saying that he knew the crusinik wasn't as oblivious to the fairer sex as he pretended to be, even offering to take over guardianship of Esther should Abel find himself unable to control his urges around her, an offer to which he politely (barely) declined. Under no circumstance did he trust the lecherous Spaniard with his young charge. It took quite some patience on his part to politely refuse Leon's offer instead of smacking the man upside his head for even suggesting such a thing. But as much as he hated to admit it, his friend was right; he didn't see Esther as merely a child under his care as one of his recent experiences has demonstrated.

He had stumbled upon her quite accidentally. It had been only a few days prior when they were still guests in Astha's home. One night, Abel went to the duchess's private bathhouse to bathe and relax from his tedious search for the Baron of Luxor earlier that day. As soon as he was undressed and submerged in the steaming water, he finally noticed that he wasn't alone in the bathhouse; his sharp crusinik vision easily saw past the thick mist and vapor from the hot water and made out a female form in the distance. He was shocked to find that it was none other then Esther, who had decided to come out for a late night bath and silently cursed his carelessness in thinking that no one would be at the bathhouse at such a late hour.

Fortunately, the girl did not notice his presence and he wanted to leave her to bathe in private but realized that there was no way he could without her noticing so he did the only thing he could think of: he hid behind a column and waited. A few minutes later, he peaked out slightly from behind his hiding place to see if Esther had left.

Big mistake.

What he saw shocked him to his very core. Esther had moved over to the more shallow side of the bath and every part of her body above her knees was exposed to his stunned gaze. He watched in fascination as she wrung out her scarlet mane, arms lifting, putting her small, perfectly rounded breasts on full display as the water dripped off her flawless ivory skin.

Abel tried to look away but his eyes would not obey his command. Instead, they took in their fill, dropping to the apex of her thighs and continuing their downward journey until they reached her slim calves.

She was, in a word, perfection. The picture of a nymph rising from the sea like the Greek legends of old.

In that moment, his world had come crashing down around him. The image he had been trying so hard to maintain in his mind, that of a child he had rescued from the streets, was cast aside and replaced by that glorious portrait of beauty.

He had shut his eyes, clenched his fists, and whispered a prayer. Desire had surged up inside him, nearly consuming any and all rational thoughts. He had wanted to stalk forward, push her against another column, and ravish her, leaving her sore, sweaty, and panting his name.

Instead, he turned away, submerging himself deeper into the water until she finally left, his arousal so potent it almost brought him to his knees.

Now here she was, practically writhing on his bed, voicing her deepest fantasies as she touched him. It should have been easy to pull away, to step back, but his blood was boiling, pounding in his temples.

"Have you also thought about this, Father?" she asked, opening her eyes to peer up at him.

Abel seemed to be frozen in place, his expression full of surprise and something she could not name. His mouth was tense, a muscle ticking steadily in his jaw. She said no more but her eyes spoke for her. There was no denying that she wanted him and they knew the feeling was mutual. What was going on here? He had never seen Esther speak or act this way, even Lilith had never spoken to him like that when they were teens; it was so unlike Esther for she had always been shy around boys, even her so called 'first love', Dietrich Von Lohengrin. But he knew her feelings for the puppet master had been nothing more then a fleeting fancy that practically died when he betrayed her. So what could be causing her to behave in such a manner? She had never done so back home no matter how sick she was. They had both been perfectly fine until…

Looking up, Abel found his gaze wandering back to the wine bottle on the table and then he knew. It didn't take long for him to figure it out. His 'baby' sister had been a notorious prankster among the children of the Mars colony where they grew up and the worst part was that she hasn't gotten any better with age, quite the opposite; the little brat was more troublesome then ever with her knowledge of medicine (and aphrodisiacs) Only she could concoct something even his crusinik senses wouldn't detect. Abel gritted his teeth in irritation. Oh, he was **_so _**going to get Seth for this but right now he knew he had another problem at hand and that his revenge was going to have to wait.

"Father?"

Abel was snapped out of his thoughts by the curious voice of his young charge, forgetting his irritation at his younger sister. As he gazed down at her lovely face once more, he found that it held him, compelled him like never before. Her deep green eyes, like the stem of a rose, drew him, urging him to lose himself in their gentle depths. Her nose was straight, her brow wide, her complexion flawless. Her lips begged to be kissed-delicately bowed, the lower lip full and sensual, they were made to be covered by a man's.

By his.

He knew he shouldn't. Every ounce of logic he possessed protested against it. He was never supposed to love her, not like this, not as anything but a child of his own. Still, when he thought about it, was that really such a problem now that they were half a world away from the Vatican? Who would ever know or find out? Just once Abel wanted to sate his curiosity, to see if her plump, rosy lips were as soft and sweet as they appeared and before he could stop himself, he leaned forward and touched his lips to hers.

Another big mistake.

Esther gave a startled gasp at the sudden intimacy and he took full advantage of the opportunity, sucking on her bottom lip, teasing her, tempting her to open her mouth and allow him right of entry and permission to explore. The little red-head didn't disappoint him and made a soft sound of willing surrender, parting her lips and inviting him inside, silently entreating him to deepen the kiss. He complied, moving his lips on hers, kissing her harder, softer, then harder once more, testing her response, slipping his tongue past her teeth, investigating the sweet, hot interior of her mouth like he had not done in centuries.

He traced the elegant line of her neck with the tips of his fingers, then tangled his fingers in her hair as he leisurely stroked the inside of her mouth in a provocative imitation of lovemaking. And while Esther may have been ignorant in the language of love, her body was certainly not; it recognized the ancient mating ritual and responded in kind. Her breasts plumped, the tips of them hardening into insistent little points, clamoring to be noticed, and the boldness of his kiss settled in the region between her thighs, causing an unrelenting ache for something that only he could satisfy.

Esther moaned softly, pressing herself against him in an effort to assuage the aching as she returned his kiss, following his lead, learning the taste of him, the thrust and parry of his tongue and the rasp of his teeth. Abel heard her soft moan and finally realized what he was doing. It took a lot of effort on his part, but he finally forced himself to break the kiss and pull back as he struggled to regain control of his raging desire. Suddenly bereft of his kisses, Esther looked at him in confusion and Abel silently berated himself for his reckless behavior. What a fool he was to think that one taste would ever be enough! It was even worse with the effects of Seth's 'medicine' on his body. His first instinct was to leave the room and forget that this ever happened.

Unfortunately, the little minx wasn't going to let him go that easily.

"Don't stop, Father… Abel…please…I want it… I want you…" she begged as she slid her arms around his waist, laying her cheek against the exposed skin of his muscular chest. He wanted to resist, to refuse, because he dreaded to think of what could happen if his superiors back home ever found out about this- he could lose Esther; they would take her from him for overstepping his bounds as her guardian and he couldn't bear the thought of losing the girl he loved so much.

"Esther…we can't…" he protested.

She seemed to have read his mind. "Why not? What are you so afraid of? I promise I won't tell anyone so please…"

Abel tried to free himself of her grasp but he didn't try very hard. "Why do you want this so much?" he asked.

"Because…because I love you…"

If he were anyone else, Abel would have been delighted to hear that but instead found himself growing pale, even more so then he usually was. So it was as he feared after all. Shaking his head sadly, Abel took her wrists in his hands as he tried to dissuade her of such a foolish notion.

"You should not."

"What do you mean? I don't understand."

"Just what I said: You should not. I am not a man that any woman with sense should love."

Esther shook her head fiercely. "You're wrong, Father. You've always been so good to me, taken such good care of me. How can you do all that and not expect me to fall in love?" Good question. For the first time in his life, Abel found himself at a total loss for words and before he could think of anything to say, Esther leaned forward and kissed him full on the mouth, shaking with untried innocence.

And that was when he knew he was defeated. Those succulent lips, that pleading expression, the feel of her breasts crushed against his chest…he was lost…

With a soft sigh, he succumbed, bowing his head and kissing her once more.

This time, his hands strayed from her back. As his tongue swept continually into her mouth, he raised his fingers to cup her breasts, sliding easily inside the flaps of her dress.

Her skin was so smooth, so warm. He suddenly knew what she had meant by her previous statement, how a mere touch could scald to the very bone.

She whimpered into the kiss as he squeezed her breasts lightly, tweaking her nipples.

"Abel…" she breathed when he pulled away from her mouth, burying his lips in her ivory throat. She had always wanted to speak his name as much as he wanted to hear her speak it and now that they were far away from the authority of their superiors, she was finally free to do so as many times as they wished.

He could feel her heart beating in time with his own. His desire was urging him to rush, to hurry and bury himself inside her, to lose himself in her wet warmth, but he calmed his raging emotions, pressing feather soft kisses over the skin of her chest, flicking his tongue over her tiny nipple.

He heard her cry out, felt her fingernails dig into his skin.

"Your taste," he murmured, nipping gently with his teeth and relishing her shocked gasp. "It is so sweet...indescribable...I could sit here and drink from you forever..."

"Yes…"

As bold as she had been before with her words and actions, he almost expected her to be shy, to fear touching him intimately, to remain nearly passive beneath his ministrations. She proved him incorrect, however, as he felt Esther's nimble fingers untying his robe and reaching out to stroke the throbbing column of flesh between his muscled thighs.

"S-So hard" she whispered as he laved at her nipple, running his fingers over her concave stomach, petting the soft hair between her legs "And yet...it feels so soft...like silk..."

Abel groaned against her breast, stiffening as she wrapped her fingers around his shaft, which was as thick as her wrist, pumping slowly, driving his senses wild. He couldn't wait any longer. He needed her, to feel himself inside of her, to claim her, possess her completely, make her his forever, and let the rules be damned.

Trying to shut out Leon's smug 'I was right' face out of his mind, Abel pulled Esther's dress over her head before finally pushing her down on the bed clad only in her thin panties. The red-head blushed furiously when she found herself being laid bare before his beautiful sapphire gaze. Reaching up, she tried to undress him as well but he stopped her, preferring to do it himself as well as pulling off the rest of her underwear. Even though she was the one who begged him to take her, Esther could not help feeling embarrassed since this was the first time any man had ever seen her naked, especially one she desired so much. Sure Dietrich was handsome but Abel was even more so. And while she thought she may have loved the puppet master once, she found that her love for Abel far exceeded anything she ever had with Dietrich.

When their clothes littered the floor, Abel lowered himself between his lover's sensitive inner thighs. Esther stifled a small gasp when she felt his shaft touch the inside of thigh, gently prodding her softness, seeking entry. Looking up, she was surprised to find her lover blushing as well; it was quite rare to see him do so, the only other time she had seen him like that was when he untied her hands from behind when they were captives on the Blue Circus pirate ship. Excited, she had turned to face him not realizing how close he was and found herself within kissing distance of him, so close, she could almost feel the heat from his cheeks on hers.

"God, you're so beautiful…" he whispered. Esther could say the same of him. Her lover was clearly the embodiment of masculine perfection; his body was slender but well-toned and she could not help but admire the sculpted muscles of his arms and chest as well as the smooth, refined features of his face, so like the beautiful marble statues in Rome. Battle scars traced his body like strokes from a painter's brush but she did not dislike them nor did she think they were ugly; to her, they were every bit a part of him as the silver hair on his head which hung over them like a beautiful silver curtain, tickling her sensitive skin. If anything, the scars only enhanced the beauty of his pale, marble-like skin. And never again would she have to imagine how his strong and splendid body looked beneath his dark cassock.

"Thank you…I could say the same of you…" Esther giggled. Abel grinned playfully at her, allowing her a glimpse of his retracted fangs which could not be completely concealed even when he was in human form. It wasn't hard to see why he didn't smile often in the presence of strangers, at least not like that, for it would frighten many people if they knew that he too was a vampire, one of the very beings that the Vatican protected humanity from. But to Esther, none of that mattered. No matter what his race, he was Abel first, the man she fell in love with, the handsome silver-haired stranger she met on the streets of Istvan whom she knew was her destiny the moment she laid eyes on him.

"You're welcome, love…" he answered as his hand slid down to her most feminine area, parting her folds gently. Her flesh was already moist, glistening. He trailed his slender fingers over her before sliding one inside carefully.

She arched against his hand, her palm tightening around him, eliciting a low moan from his throat.

"Goodness, Esther" he murmured, dropping a kiss onto one of her prominent hip bones. "You're already prepared for me..."

The little red-head whined as he began to move his finger with torturous slowness; her entire body felt as if it were on fire. He was so hot in her hand, so hard and thick. She almost doubted he would fit inside, but she trusted him.

"Kiss me," she demanded softly.

He obeyed, not stopping the motion of his finger. As he ran his tongue over the seam of her lips, he reached out to still her hand. "Stop, Esther..."

"D-Did I do something wrong?" she stammered, eyes wide.

Smiling slightly, he kissed her. "No. All too right, I'm afraid..."

A deep pink blush stained her cheeks at his words. She returned his kiss, her lips innocent and unknowledgeable, but what she lacked in experience, she made up for with enthusiasm, with the way her fingers buried themselves in his silver hair and tugged lightly, with the way her pelvis moved steadily beneath his hand.

He would have loved to continue, stroking her, molding her mouth to his own, taking her at his leisure, but her fingers suddenly pulled painfully at his hair and she bit his lip none-too-gently.

"Take me now," she whispered against his cheek. "I want to feel you, all of you...inside me..."

"Patience, love" Abel answered as he sat back up and pulled her into his lap.

Esther straddled his thighs, peering into his eyes in question, her moist cleft brushing against him. "Abel?"

"This might be the best way for now," he murmured in reply, running his hands over her firm bottom and settling them on the small of her back. "You are so small...I don't want to hurt you..."

"What-what should I do?" she asked, her voice nervous, face flaming bright red.

In answer, he grasped her hips, lifting her slightly and positioning her entrance above his straining member.

"Sink onto me," he said tightly, resisting the urge to buck up into her wet heat. "I'll show you the rest..."

Nodding, Esther followed his instructions, biting her lip to prevent a whimper from escaping as she felt his maleness fill her.

When he reached the barrier of her virginity, he paused, breathing deeply. "Relax your muscles, my love; this may hurt for a moment but I promise I'll make it up to you..."

Esther wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in this throat as she murmured her consent and tried to calm her muscles. Upon the first twinge of pain, she had tensed in reflex, effectively tightening her inner walls and making his entrance that much more difficult.

As the tension flowed from her body, she felt him slip deeper. He clasped her waist firmly and, with no warning, plunged upwards in one hard, smooth thrust.

She cried out loudly when she was seated to the hilt.

His hands came up to remove her arms from around his neck before he laid back against the bed, gazing up at her as she remained upright astride his hips.

"Are you okay?" he asked, holding himself still inside of her. The impulse to thrust was maddening, but he pushed it away, more concerned with her comfort.

She nodded quickly, laying her hands on his chest as he lifted her until only the tip of his shaft remained inside, then brought her back down with painstaking slowness.

"You're so deep," she whispered as he repeated the motion. "I love the way you feel...it's as if you have touched my heart..."

Abel groaned at her words, keeping one hand on her slim hips as the other moved up her body to toy with her breasts. He maintained the slow, gentle pace, rocking up into her, watching her face. Her mouth was swollen, her cheeks flushed, her eyes staring down intently into his.

As he slid steadily in and out, he brought his fingers up to trace her lips. Keeping her emerald orbs locked onto his, she parted them, nipping at his finger before drawing it inside her mouth and sucking hard. "Faster..."

Abel obeyed her command as she continued to suck on his finger, twirling her tongue around it, biting gently.

"More" Esther whispered, releasing his finger and leaning down to press a slow kiss to his lips. "Harder."

With a groan, he latched both hands onto her hips, plunging up into her with hard, firm thrusts.

"You feel so hot," he murmured against her mouth before kissing her passionately.

As the kiss deepened, his movements grew more frenzied. Her hands gripped the sheets on either side of his shoulders and she moaned continuously, the sound captured by his lips. He felt his climax rapidly approaching, but it would not do this way. She wasn't ready. It would have to be together.

His mind concentrating on that thought, on the pleasure flowing between them, the feel of her tight, slick muscles around him, he brought his hand between their bodies, searching for the place that would easily bring her to an incredible orgasm.

Abel knew he had found it when she pulled her mouth away from his abruptly, screaming with delight before stammering his name.

He continued to stroke her there, never once ceasing with his pounding thrusts, his fervid kisses. It was so addictive, the feel of her body, the mewling sounds she made in the back of her throat.

In moments, she was trembling fiercely, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. With one last, deep thrust, he felt her inner muscles clench around him almost painfully. Her release, her agonized moan, was enough to send him over the edge.

Abel moaned her name, closing his eyes, helpless to the waves of sensation washing over him. It was incredible, like the sun, like heaven, like every moment of pure, undiluted joy. He shattered, fragmenting into a million tiny pieces. It was like dying and being reborn. In those seconds of endless bliss, he found his clarity, his true happiness.

It rested in her, the girl, the woman, he loved and adored. No matter what the consequences, no matter what had happened in his past, he knew in that very instant, that he would gladly spend the rest of his life trying to show her even a fraction of the paradise, the euphoria she had just shown him.

He said the words again as he ran his hands over the slick flesh of her back. This time they flowed more freely with no hesitation or doubt. "I love you, Esther…"

"Mmm…" she mewed in response as she slowly fell onto him, her naked body pressed to his. "I feel so exhausted…"

Sliding his hands up her bare bottom, Abel kissed her cheek. "Then sleep now, love. I'll still be here when you wake so rest well, darling…"

"Yes… you too, Abel... I love you…"

**SSSSSS**

The next morning, Esther found Seth in the imperial gardens sitting at a table clad once more in her jade royal garments and sipping some tea.

The child-like empress peered up at Esther over her teacup, eyes knowingly sweeping over the happy glow that shone on her young friend's face.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Seth asked sweetly, setting her cup aside.

The red-headed nun smiled before taking a seat besides her friend. "VERY well" she answered with a giggle.

"I figured as much," Seth said with a wink. "My medicine works wonders."

"It certainly does," Esther agreed, a huge grin washing over her pretty features. "What exactly is in that 'medicine'?"

The empress released a fiendish giggle, eyes sparkling. "I'm afraid that's a trade secret..."

"Fair enough" Esther agreed, laughing along with her. "How can I get some more then?"

"Well, how much do you think you'll be needing?"

"Not too much. Just a small supply. You know, for the occasional, rainy day."

Seth removed her crown and ran her fingers through her short ebony mane with a smile. "Oh, I DO know..."

"Think you can spare me a few vials?"

With a slow nod and a chuckle, Seth rose to her feet. "Of course. I think I can manage that."

**End…maybe ;)**

**A/N: So what do you think? I got the idea for this while reading some of my favorite romance novels and erotic fics at work On a note, before anyone points any quirks out, I just want to make it clear that while I try to stay as canon and true to the original storyline of any series I write about, I sometimes change minor details to make my fics work as well as suit my tastes. For example, I like Esther's eyes to be green instead of blue simply because I like the way green eyes look with red hair. Esther was also never actually hurt by Dietrich/Radu and the two were probably just accomplices or friends at most but I changed that in my fic and hope my readers will be cool with it. So let me know what you think! This will probably be my last TB fic for a while but if I can think of another, I'll be sure to write it down for my readers to enjoy! **


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